System and method for facilitating determination and evaluation of and placing orders for nutritional blend formulations

Abstract

System and method are disclosed for helping users determine, evaluate, and/or place orders for nutritional blend formulations to be manufactured from available nutritional formulation materials. A web-accessible graphical user interface receives specifications from a user for a nutritional blend formulation (e.g., intended use, desired nutritional activity, and/or concentration of nutrients in the formulation). Information concerning the available nutritional formulation materials are organized into hierarchies that facilitate identifying the available nutritional formulation materials for preparing the formulation. The system converts the specifications into information reported to the user. The user can modify the specifications to determine the effect on the reported information (e.g., cost), and such modifications can be made repeatedly until the user is satisfied. The user can submit the proposed formulation to the manufacturer or vendor to allow them to review, approve, or modify the formulation. After everyone is satisfied, the user can place an order for the formulation.

1 . A computerized system for assisting users to determine, evaluate, and/or place orders for nutritional blend formulations to be manufactured from available nutritional formulation materials, each nutritional blend formulation comprising a plurality of nutrients, the system comprising: 
 (a) a web-accessible graphical user interface (i) for receiving from a user, and communicating over the web to one or more other parts of the system, specifications for a nutritional blend formulation, the specifications including the intended use of the formulation from among a plurality of possible intended uses and/or the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration of one or more of the nutrients in the formulation, and (ii) for receiving through the web from one or more other parts of the system, and reporting to the user, formulation product information determined by one or more other parts of the system pertaining to that nutritional blend formulation;    (b) one or more databases of information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials from which the nutritional blend formulations can be prepared, the one or more available nutritional formulation materials for each nutrient being organized into a hierarchy of types and optionally one or more subtypes within each type, the hierarchy of types and subtypes facilitating the identification of the available nutritional formulation materials for the nutritional blend formulation specified by the user;    (c) identification means for identifying, using the hierarchy of types and subtypes, the available nutritional formulation materials from which the nutritional blend formulation specified by the user can be manufactured;    (d) retrieval means for selectively retrieving from the one or more databases at least some of the information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means;    (e) conversion means for converting the specifications into formulation product information pertaining to the nutritional blend formulation using the retrieved information, the conversion means including means for determining the quantities and/or activities of the available nutritional formulation materials to be included in the nutritional blend formulation needed to satisfy the specifications specified by the user; and    (f) a reporting module for reporting the formulation product information, including the quantities and/or activities determined by the conversion means, through the graphical user interface to the user.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a suggested nutrient database identifying a group of suggested nutrients for each of one or more of the intended uses.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising template communications means for communicating to the user through the graphical user interface the group of suggested nutrients for the intended use of the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         4 . The system of claim  0 . 3  further comprising means for preventing the user from including in the specifications for the nutritional blend formulation received through the graphical user interface a desired nutritional activity and/or concentration for any nutrient not in the group of suggested nutrients.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a suggested nutrient database identifying a group of suggested nutrients for each of one or more of the intended uses and suggested minimum and/or maximum concentrations and/or activities for one or more of the suggested nutrients for one or more of the intended uses.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising template communications means for communicating to the user through the graphical user interface (a) the group of suggested nutrients for the intended use of the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface and (b) the suggested minimum and/or maximum concentrations and/or activities for one or more of the suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising means for preventing the user from including in the specifications for the nutritional blend formulation received through the graphical user interface a desired nutritional activity and/or concentration for any nutrient not in the group of suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising concentration/activity notification means for notifying the user through the graphical user interface if the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration for one or more of the nutrients received from the user through the graphical user interface are below the suggested minimum or above the suggested maximum concentration or activity for one or more of the suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising means to communicate to the user through the graphical user interface at least a portion of the hierarchy of the available nutritional formulation materials for one or more of the nutrients in the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hierarchy of the available nutritional formulation materials for one or more of the nutrients in the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface is modifiable and the system further comprises means to allow the user through the graphical user interface to modify the hierarchy.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more databases of information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials are modifiable and the system further comprises means to modify the databases.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising specification modification means for modifying the specifications for the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising means for allowing the user to modify the specifications for the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface by making one or more modifications at a time to determine the effect of making such modifications on the formulation product information reported to the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising means for the system (a) to determine modified specifications for the nutritional blend formulation if the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration for one or more of the nutrients received from the user through the graphical user interface are below the suggested minimum or above the suggested maximum concentration or activity for one or more of the suggested nutrients for the intended use, (b) to determine the formulation product information for the modified specifications, and (c) to report the formulation product information for the modified specifications to the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising pricing means (a) for determining the estimated cost of the nutritional blend formulation if made from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means according to the specifications received through the graphical user interface from the user and (b) for including the estimated cost in the formulation product information reported through the graphical user interface to the user.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising pricing means (a) for determining the estimated cost of the nutritional blend formulation if made from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means according to the modified specifications and (b) for including the estimated cost in the formulation product information reported through the graphical user interface to the user.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising pricing means (a) for determining the estimated cost of the nutritional blend formulation if made from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means according to the modified specifications and (b) for including the estimated cost in the formulation product information reported through the graphical user interface to the user.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising review means for reviewing the specifications received through the graphical user interface from the user, including the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration of the nutrients in the nutritional blend formulation, for compliance with regulatory agency regulations and/or for consistency and/or completeness and/or compatibility.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising review means for reviewing the modified specifications for compliance with regulatory agency regulations and/or for consistency and/or completeness and/or compatibility.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising review means for reviewing the modified specifications for compliance with regulatory agency regulations and/or for consistency and or completeness and/or compatibility.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising means for notifying the user through the graphical user interface of the results of the review.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19  further comprising means for notifying the user through the graphical user interface of the results of the review.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising means for notifying the user through the graphical user interface of the results of the review.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising means for estimating one or more physical properties of the nutritional blend formulation if manufactured from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising means for estimating one or more physical properties of the nutritional blend formulation if manufactured from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means using the modified hierarchy.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24  further comprising particle size distribution estimating means for estimating, in the case of a nutritional blend formulation in particulate form, the particle size distribution of the particles of the nutritional blend formulation.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising particle size distribution estimating means for estimating, in the case of a nutritional blend formulation in particulate form, the particle size distribution of the particles of the nutritional blend formulation.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising-approval means to allow the user to approve the nutritional blend formulation for manufacture.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising approval means to allow the user to approve the nutritional blend formulation with the modified specifications for manufacture.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising approval means to allow the user to approve the nutritional blend formulation with the modified specifications for manufacture.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising formulation product information review means for allowing review of the nutritional blend formulation after it has been approved for manufacture.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29  further comprising formulation product information review means for allowing review of the nutritional blend formulation after it has been approved for manufacture.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30  further comprising formulation product information review means for allowing review of the nutritional blend formulation after it has been approved for manufacture.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising means to transmit the nutritional blend formulation and/or its corresponding formulation product information to another system to allow the nutritional blend formulation to be manufactured.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29  further comprising means to transmit the nutritional blend formulation and/or its corresponding formulation product information to another system to allow the nutritional blend formulation to be manufactured.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30  further comprising means to transmit the nutritional blend formulation and/or its corresponding formulation product information to another system to allow the nutritional blend formulation to be manufactured.  
     
     
         37 . A computerized method for assisting users to determine, evaluate, and/or place orders for nutritional blend formulations to be manufactured from available nutritional formulation materials, each nutritional blend formulation comprising a plurality of nutrients, the method comprising the steps: 
 (a) having available for use the system of  claim 1;     (b) through the web-accessible graphical user interface (i) receiving from a user, and communicating over the web to one or more other parts of the system, specifications for a nutritional blend formulation, the specifications including the intended use of the formulation from among a plurality of possible intended uses and/or the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration of one or more of the nutrients in the formulation, and (ii) receiving through the web from one or more other parts of the system, and reporting to the user, formulation product information determined by one or more other parts of the system pertaining to that nutritional blend formulation;    (c) identifying, using the identification means and the hierarchy of types and subtypes, the available nutritional formulation materials from which the nutritional blend formulation specified by the user can be manufactured;    (d) selectively retrieving from the one or more databases of information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials at least some of the information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials identified in step (c);    (e) converting the specifications into formulation product information pertaining to the nutritional blend formulation using the information retrieved in step (d), the formulation product information including the quantities and/or activities of the available nutritional formulation materials to be included in the nutritional blend formulation needed to satisfy the specifications specified by the user; and    (f) reporting the formulation product information determined in step (e) through the graphical user interface to the user.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising communicating to the user through the graphical user interface a group of suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising communicating to the user through the graphical user interface (a) a group of suggested nutrients for the intended use of the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface and (b) suggested minimum and/or maximum concentrations and/or activities for one or more of the suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising notifying the user through the graphical user interface if the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration for one or more of the nutrients received from the user through the graphical user interface are below the suggested minimum or above the suggested maximum concentration or activity for one or more of the suggested nutrients for the intended use.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising communicating to the user through the graphical user interface at least a portion of the hierarchy of the available nutritional formulation materials for one or more of the nutrients in the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising allowing the user through the graphical user interface to modify the hierarchy.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising modifying the databases of information pertaining to the available nutritional formulation materials from which the nutritional blend formulations can be prepared.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising modifying, or allowing the user to modify, the specifications for the nutritional blend formulation received from the user through the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising (a) determining the estimated cost of the nutritional blend formulation if made from the identified available nutritional formulation materials and (b) including the estimated cost in the formulation product information reported through the graphical user interface to the user.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising (a) determining the estimated cost of the nutritional blend formulation if made from the available nutritional formulation materials corresponding to the modified specifications and (b) including the estimated cost in the formulation product information reported through the graphical user interface to the user.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising reviewing the specifications received through the graphical user interface from the user, including the desired nutritional activity and/or concentration of the nutrients in the nutritional blend formulation, for compliance with regulatory agency regulations and/or for consistency and/or completeness and/or compatibility.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising reviewing the modified specifications for compliance with regulatory agency regulations and/or for consistency and/or completeness and/or compatibility.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising estimating one or more physical properties of the nutritional blend formulation if manufactured from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising estimating one or more physical properties of the nutritional blend formulation if manufactured from the available nutritional formulation materials identified by the identification means using the modified hierarchy.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising estimating, in the case of a nutritional blend formulation in particulate form, the particle size distribution of the particles of the nutritional blend formulation.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising estimating, in the case of a nutritional blend formulation in particulate form, the particle size distribution of the particles of the nutritional blend formulation.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising allowing the user to approve the nutritional blend formulation for manufacture.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising allowing the user to approve the nutritional blend formulation with the modified specifications for manufacture.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising allowing review of the nutritional blend formulation after it has been approved for manufacture.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54  further comprising allowing review of the nutritional blend formulation after it has been approved for manufacture.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising transmitting the nutritional blend formulation and/or its corresponding formulation product information to another system to allow the nutritional blend formulation to be manufactured.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 54  further comprising transmitting the nutritional blend formulation and/or its corresponding formulation product information to another system to allow the nutritional blend formulation to be manufactured.